In college, the politics of black fashion, and the questions of self-esteem that fashion signified, had been a frequent, if delicate, topic of conversation for black students, especially among the women, who would smile bitterly at the sight of the militant brother who always seemed to be dating light-skinned girls-and tongue-lash any black man who was foolish enough to make a remark about black women's hairstyles.

He retained a nice edge of aggression and sharp criticism against both paternalism and racism, and was ever alert to come down heavily on these two vices, but I have watched him tongue-lash a PAC man at a social for daring to deny the right of whites to become integrated in the freedom struggle.